On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order dismantling the Department of Education.
The Department of Education was established in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter, with Congress signing the Department Organization Act (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979) in 1980. Its purpose is to ensure academic equality for all students nationwide. One of the biggest ways the department solidifies its purpose is by delivering financial aid to students nationwide who would otherwise not be financially capable of attending university.
Following the signing of the executive order, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon explained President Trump’s decision to dismantle the Department.
“With today’s action, we take a significant step forward to give parents and states control over their children’s education. Teachers will be unshackled from burdensome regulations and paperwork, empowering them to get back to teaching basic subjects,” McMahon said in an official statement. “Closing the Department does not mean cutting funds from those who depend on them — we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs.”
The Department of Education does not develop curricula for K-12 schools or universities. Instead, they focus on ensuring that students receive the same opportunities, whether it be economic or civil.
One of the most prominent sources of securing financial support for students nationwide is through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is managed by the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), an office founded within the Department of Education.
According to Oakland University, within the 2023-24 academic year, “76 percent of full-time undergraduate students received scholarships and grants averaging $9,603.” Within that 76 percent, 42 percent of their own students relied on financial aid supplied by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
While President Trump dismantled the Department of Education, the future of financial aid will still remain intact under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Programs under the act provide grants, work-study assistance and loans to students who apply to college or career schools.
However, with the recent layoffs and buyouts done within the department, the smaller staff will have to work quicker to maintain students who apply for aid. Former Secretary Miguel Cardona served as head of the department under the Biden administration and served as an educator in the state of Connecticut for two decades.
On. March 12, Cardona took to social media to express his feelings about the Trump Administration’s decision to cut 2,000 employees, nearly half of their current staff.
“Yesterday, as you may be aware, steps were taken to significantly reduce the federal workforce at the U.S. Department of Education. There is an understandable sense of fear, frustration, and anxiety around this deeply disturbing decision by the current administration,” Cardona said in a letter posted on X. “The significant reduction in force at the Department will affect the distribution of Title I funding for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and reduce much-needed resources for our students with disabilities.”
The Department of Education will continue to remain intact until Congress agrees to go with the decision. However, their system will be impacted by its staff shortage.
